BLOOD TEST · SMART CARE POLYCLINIC, DEIRA
Lipase explained
The pancreas's fat-digesting enzyme, the most specific blood test for an inflamed pancreas.
Order it on its own, or build your own blood test profile — 4 or more tests save up to 30–50%.
What the Lipase test measures
Lipase breaks down fat in the gut and is made almost only by the pancreas. A clearly raised level with upper abdominal pain is the main blood sign of pancreatitis, and it stays raised for longer than amylase.
What the result tells you
If it's raised
Suggests the pancreas is inflamed or irritated; gallstones and alcohol are the most common causes.
Read with amylase
Both are measured together; lipase is the more reliable of the two for the pancreas.
Mildly raised
Kidney problems and some medicines can raise it a little without pancreatitis, so it is read against symptoms.
How to prepare
- Fasting
- Not usually required
- Best time
- Any time of day
- Worth knowing
- Sudden severe abdominal pain needs an emergency department, not a booked test.
What can move the result
A result outside the usual range does not on its own mean something is wrong. These are the everyday explanations a doctor considers first.
Packages that include it
Frequently asked questions
Lipase breaks down fat in the gut and is made almost only by the pancreas. A clearly raised level with upper abdominal pain is the main blood sign of pancreatitis, and it stays raised for longer than amylase. If it's raised: Suggests the pancreas is inflamed or irritated; gallstones and alcohol are the most common causes.
Fasting: Not usually required. Best time: Any time of day. Sudden severe abdominal pain needs an emergency department, not a booked test.
Commonly: gallstones; alcohol; some medicines; kidney function; recent abdominal procedures. A single result is not a diagnosis. Values are read against the laboratory's own reference range and alongside your history, your symptoms and the rest of the panel — which is why every package includes a doctor to go through them with you.
At Smart Care Polyclinic, 29 Doha Centre, Al Maktoum Rd, Deira, Dubai. It is included in the Gut Health, the Gut Health 360°, the Gut Health Plus, the Gut Health + 360°, or it can be ordered on its own. Walk in during opening hours or call +971 (0)4 379 3562.
Sources
Written from current guidance and reviewed 18 October 2026.
- Lipase testMedlinePlus, US National Library of Medicine
- Acute pancreatitisNHS